Elastic exerciser



Jan. 27, 1931. L. D. GORDON 1,790,267

' ELASTIC EXERCISER Filed March 17, 1930 3 f ,m f 1 5 g a Patented Jan. 27, 1931' ELASTIC ExERcIsnn Application filed March 17, 1930; "Serial r0. 43;;352.

My invention relates generally to exercisers and more particularlyto improvements in elastic strap exercisers made of a rubber-like material. a a

It is an .object;of my invention to provide an improved exerciser in which means are provided to facilitate use of the device as a finger exerciser, as well as to provide an im-' proved grip for the same. I

A further object of my invention is to provide an exerciser which, in the normal use thereof, will massage the palm of the hand or more particularly the blood vessels of the palmar arch, which, in turn, will lead to an.

increased blood flow to the fingers and to the muscles thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved exerciser which is simple in construction, may be economically-manufactured and is capable of a variety of uses.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the exerciser;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one end thereof Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 3+3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig.5 is an elevation illustrating the use of the strap as a finger exerciser.

' As shown in Fig. 1, the device comprises a Y strap or strip of rubber (which in practice may be approximately 1 to 3 inches wide and from 1 to 3 feet in length, and of thickness depending upon the strength desired) having end portions 12 of increased thickness which maybe conveniently used as grips. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the end por- .tions 12 are of gradually increasing thickness and have a plurality of transverse ribs 14 projecting from the opposite sides thereof. The edges of the strip 10 are reinforced by longitudinal ribs 16 which materially increase the durability of the strip. In use the strip is grasped at the end or grip portions 12 and the strap stretched, to serve as a resisting force against flexure of the muscles. The ribs 14 not only prevent the strapfrom inadvertently slipping from the hands-of the user but serve the additional noved -functi'on, of making it possible to. use

the strap as an exerciser of the finger muscles.

In Fig.- 5 I'have illustrated the way inwhich the strap maybe used to exercise muscles of the fingers. The-end of the strap is-grasped so that oneedge of the end portion 12 lies against the palm-0f the'hand and the edge of the. portion 12 contacts with the fingers at or beyond their last joints; 1 Then, by closing the hand, the'endofthe'strap maybe bent back upon; itself so that Will'be approximately u-shaped in transverse cross-section. The transverse ribs 14 have a truss-like effect in increasing the transverse rigidity of the end portion 12 andfmake its resistance to deformation or bending about a longitudinal I axis sufliciently great so that the end portion 12 will exert a sufliciently great counter-re- 8181324111} force'to-assure vlgorous exercislng of the muscles ofthe fingers and forearm.

When the device is used in the usual manner, that is, grasping its ends with the hands, the ribs 14 greatly increase the certainty of the grip which maybe had upon the strap and thus make it possible to exert greater tensile stresses upon the strip. When used in this mannerthe end grip portions of the strip stretch slightly and the ribs. thereof move back and forth relative to each other and knead or massage the palmar aspect of the'hand. There is an interlacing mass of blood vessels within the palm known as the palmar arches which are supplied with blood by the radial and ulnar arteries of the forearm. The blood supply to the fingers is derived, in turn, from these arches. Consequently any method of procedure which tends to compress or massagethe palmar archeswill accelerate the blood flow through the blood vessels of the fingers. The benefits of all muscular exercise are enhanced if during the exercise the muscles are supplied 7 with an increased amount of the energy producing food materials carried in the blood. The provision of the ribs on the grip portions of the strip thus assures a copious and rapid circulation of blood to the fingers, as I ion 1 an incident to the ordinary use of the exer- W ciser, and thereby greatly increases the beneficial results obtained from the exercise. The a ribs thus serve a plurality of purposes and greatly increase the usefulness and effectiveness of the elastic strap exerciser.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters 'Patentis:

1. An elastic strap exerciser con prising an elasticstrip having grip portions at its ends, and transverse ribs projectingoutwardly from said grip portions, the grip portions being sufficiently elastic so "that when the strip is stretched said ribswill move relative to one another; thereby to Inassage the palmar arches of the hand.-

2. An elastic strap'exerciser, comprising a strip of elastic rubber having thickened portions at its ends, a plurality of transverse ribs formed on said thickened" portions whereby the said thickened end portions of the strap will have suificient resistance to bending about a line extending longitudinallyjof the strap to permit the use of the end portion ofthe strapr by itself as a finger exerciser substantially as described. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 14 day of Man, 1930.

LESTER D. GORDON. 

